


Drifting Together

by RedHeadWithaPen



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Beach City, Broken Promises, Confusion, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Healing, Hypnotism, Mind Control, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Misunderstandings, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Reunions, Sequel, Siren Spinel Origin, Time Skips, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:20:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27063310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedHeadWithaPen/pseuds/RedHeadWithaPen
Summary: Spinel is his toy right?Almost a pass-me-down from his mother... she's happy to be his toy... so... why can't he enjoy that?-In other words... this is a sequel to Drifting Alone.And there will be answers! As well as a lot more of Spinel! <3
Relationships: Spinel/Steven Universe
Comments: 21
Kudos: 32





	1. Prologue

Familiar words played over and over again in her fragile mind. _Isn't this lovely? Isn't this cruel?_ Her innocence wanted to pretend everything was fine and that her beloved Pink _will_ come back to play with her again. She just had a Colney to look after now, playtime was going to be a _special_ occasion that Spinel was going to thrive in.

And yet... another part deep down within her very heart-shaped gemstone, knew that she _wasn't_ going to come back. Pink's eyes kept growing distance with every time that she'd frequent this garden. They played less and less, with Spinel almost forcing Pink to play some kind of game, always with the best intentions of course! She wanted her diamond to smile and laugh, forget her worries and bitter loneliness, even if it was for a little while...

Spinel sighed and watched with tired eyes as a little white butterfly passed her by, she was certain that most all life in this garden would've expired by now due to the lack of upkeep. Which would've been done by her Pearl but, even her Pearl doesn't visit anymore. She clasped her hands and dreamily sighed.

"I'll bet they have a fully functional Colney and army built. Pink will be so happy!" Spinel swayed a little, not being able to control the thought of her standing alongside her diamond, filled with such pride and fulfilment. "I hope she..."

Her eyes drifted as the communication hub lit up. Her gem fluttered as a message was loading into the screen. She tried to lift her legs but to her surprise, they were tied to the ground with vines wrapping around her legs. She tugged a little harder but found it quite difficult, as static echoed quietly she stopped pulling and strained to hear what it was saying. _"--..Diamond..--__-"_

She smiled brightly as she heard that very meaningful word. She wanted to hop and skip over the silly machine but it strained to play. She was thankful that it seemed to be on a repeat. Perhaps her diamond wanted to make sure that Spinel would get this important message!

"She must want me to play!" She squealed and finally after hard strain and admittedly little ripping of her form, she managed to dash over to the screen with vigour her arm twisted until it was wound tightly, she then let her fist hit the hub. It's message stopping before resetting, her legs swayed anxiously back and forth as it loaded, her smile was bright and hopeful until an unfamiliar gem was looking at her.

_"This is Peridot transmitting on all frequencies from abandoned crystal system colony planet Earth, to Yellow Diamond. My mission has been compromised, my escort and informant are gone and I am now stranded! Please send help!"_

The message stopped and Spinel stood, looking up now at the empty sky as the screen shut down. Her hands were clasped tightly with her knuckles near white with how tightly she was clasping them.

"Abandoned... help?"

She took an anxious step back and a lone branch snapped, it sent her mind into an overloaded panic. She couldn't focus, couldn't think, her legs moved feverishly towards the warp pad.

"Please be okay! _Please_!" 

She stood and waited, and waited, but the warp didn't take her to Earth. Fear crept into her gem, her form was quivering and nearly at the pointing of poofing. She tried the nearest planet to Earth, not caring how close or far it may be.

" _Aren't I such a fool?!_ " She looked upwards as the warp pulled her closer to her destination, " _To have happily listened... waiting to play..._ " The warp began to glitch, Spinel gasped and rubbed away the tears, " _Now you've drifted away!_ "

She couldn't hold herself together; unfocused and without any control, the warp corrupted and left her spiralling through space at a speed that she'd be seen as a pink comet.

_'Is her diamond okay? Why wasn't she told sooner that Pink was in trouble? Where are they other diamonds?'_ The thoughts clouded her mind, butterflies seemed to cling to her limbs, but she swiped them away.

With luck she saw the familiar planet ahead, her speed had slowed to where she was drifting, she was thankful for her elastic limbs as they were able to grip onto debris and pull her forwards.

It took a lot of power and a risk of breaking her form, but the idea of Pink being harmed in anyway, propelled her thoughts and threw any caution into the wind. _Yes, she'd likely become damaged and no longer fit to be Pink's toy, but she had to see her, make sure she was **safe** in order to rest peacefully._

She gripped onto the moon and swung herself round, and round before unwinding quickly, sending her speeding into the Earth. She could no longer control where she'd land or if she'd even make it without cracking her gem. She didn't care, she put her hands over her gem and crashed through the clouds.

With unfathomable speed, her eyes scanned the landscape as she fell. It went from a lush green, to a small looking base, to then a temple which seemed dedicated to _something_. But that was all she saw of the area before being engulfed into sand and water.

" _No..._ " she groaned and tried to reach out with her hand but her gem was crumbling beneath the sand, she looked up and saw the broken clouds... Tears threatened to fall though she wasn't sure if it was relief or sorrow at her inability to find her diamond.

The softly crashing waves began to muffle as she sunk below the surface. A beautiful shade of pink was barely visible to her now, but it brought her some familiar comfort. The clip clap of shoes and someone gasping for breath, she heard, " _Steven!_ "

Then those shoes clip clapped away, she bitterly laughed, " _Gee_..." her voice was barely a whisper, " _Pink would'a liked that name..._ "


	2. In the Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's start a new game! :3

  
Like a scene in a play the curtains closed and the lights dimmed. Though little else could be seen. Now Steven had to rely on Spinel to guide him back to safety, back to where they both have spent time together, to a beautiful garden with a sprinkling fountain (Which was sea water, as Steven found out). He wondered what marvellous colours would be here if the constant pink hue wasn't present.

He didn't speak as Spinel's familiar gloved hand held his tightly. He let her tug him back to that place. But for a long time he felt as though he was floating indefinitely, he almost wondered if he was doomed to forever fall into the dark abyss.

But that thought felt silly as she wrapped herself around him, a warm embrace that opened his eyes and revealed the beautiful garden to him. For a longer time still, she shared snippets of her memories, all playing for him. Each one was harder and harder to watch, but he made sure to look at them all, with each story his anger and heartbreak grew for her.

_'You were always so close, and yet so far... I tried so hard to reach out to you, but each attempted would further my descent. I felt as though I was in the garden again, only I was a stones throw away from you and still was not allowed to join your life... I saw many things, both the good and bad. Each time I desperately tried to call out to you, to celebrate or to try and comfort you. But just like the waves, I'd barely reach out before having to withdraw back.' She whispered to him, with her hand reaching out before him. He wrapped his own around hers and tried to calm her shaky form but she pulled hers away, still unsure of how to react to his mutually desired contact._

He sighed and looked at her, here she was stood right in front of him, her hands now tightly clutching each other, her body stiff and a sad smile plastered on her face. Her hair which undoubtedly would've once been perfectly tied into beautiful buns, were now messy and uneven. Her clothes that should be vibrant like her personality, are now tired and faded, like her hope.

Unlike his mother, who left her to suffer alone, he took a step forward and embraced her. "Will you let me help you?"

She let her head fall on his shoulder and with frustratingly shaky hands, she returned the embrace. She let herself smile but couldn't find the words to respond. But Steven _knew_ , he understood and nodded. _So kind and caring..._

"I'm... going to have to leave here..." He felt her tense immediately and struggled against him as her instincts wanted to pull back, "Please Spinel understand!" He didn't let her go, even as her tears streaked down his jackets, "I _have_ to go. It's the only way I heal your gem." They stayed together until she tired and stopped fighting. His heart ached as her arms now lay to her sides, his own sore and undoubtedly bruised, but he didn't care. Only now did he pull back slightly, and slowly, to look at her.

"Spinel..." He sighed, she looked so tired and blank. He hates this look in her eyes, never present when they play or simply talked. Maybe due to naivety but he'd hoped that maybe she wouldn't still have the feelings of abandonment, that the time he'd spent with her had, had more of an impact.

"I'm going back home but I will take you straight to the bath, y'know the tub we talked about that made you laugh?" He recalled with a smile, noticing the slight smile from her own lips, "Yeah! I'll take you there and you'll be healed! We can spend time together on Earth."

"...Like you promised?" She croaked, her voice sore and scratchy.

"Yes. Just like I promised." He looked around, "So... how do I..." He gasped as her hands grew and held him.

"Sorry... this is the only way." She smiled sadly, "Just... in case you change your mind... I really enjoyed every moment we spent together..."

He returned the smile, "Hey don't talk like that. I'll see you soon okay? Remember? Like that song... Someday, somehow, you'll---"

It was sudden and caught Steven off guard as she retracted her arms so he was close to her, she had a mischievous look and he expected maybe a lecture on his singing again, but before he really understood what was happening, he was aware that her lips were on his.

"I've already found someone..." She sighed dreamily before giggling and swinging him round and round, her arms getting longer and longer, her laughter louder than his confused screaming. The moment built until she aimed and through him up, out of her lonely garden, through the abyss until finally...

* * *

"Garnet?" Amethyst looked at her silent friend with confusion as she suddenly pulled off her visor. Ruby, Sapphire and Garnet's eyes looked shocked and muddled as the vision was taking place. _Could be false hope?_

Amethyst reached out to bring her friend back to this reality but before her hand could make contact, Garnet looked at her with a grin.

"He's home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while since an update huh? ^^'  
> Hope this lil bridge-chapter is interesting.  
> It's the start of many things but also the end :D


	3. We should talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young love <3

  
He burst out of the sand with his hand reaching up into the air, he couldn't breath, couldn't see, he panicked as his lungs desperately cried out for fresh air. With adrenaline and likely gem powers, he pushed his other hand through the thick sand, but with little solid ground, he struggled pulling the rest of his body through. _Guess I'll just die-_

Garnet grabbed those sinking hands and pulled him fully out of the sand. Immediately hugging the boy that was still attached to those hands. She held him close and let her tears, though as much as she wished; they weren't healing tears, fall onto his cheek.

But before she could enjoy the embrace alone, Pearl had followed suit behind her and jumped onto them both. The sand went everywhere, which would normally frustrate the ever-so clean and tidy Pearl but right now in this moment as all three were huddled on the sand without a care in the world, she didn't care.

It took a moment before Steven finally got his bearings and noticed Amethyst catching up with a huff. She held up a thumbs up to him as she heavily breathed to catch her breath, he just chuckled and returned the thumbs up.

But then, the person he didn't want to see right now, was standing a stones throw from the huddled mess of a pile he was centre in. He wanted now more than ever for them to never let him go. Her stare was a mixture of confusion, anger... and then relief.

"You're okay..." Connie sighed and placed a hand over beating heart.

Which, out of sight, did Amethyst roll her eyes and scoff. But she was quick to hide her frustration and with care did she put her hand on Garnet's shoulder. It was unspoken but Garnet understood that she and Pearl needed to let him go.

It took a few minutes before Pearl finally unfurled her protective arms off Steven. But she hovered near him, sniffling and rubbing away the tears from her tired eyes. Amethyst and Garnet understood her caution, as the looming ocean was still close, almost threating to take him away again. _To which neither would allow again..._

Steven coughed to clear his throat and awkwardly looked around at everyone with a weary smile, he had baggy eyes and the colour seemed drained from his normally peachy, suntanned skin. _She did this._ They all thought collectively.

"So..." He started and everyone looked at him, "How.. is everyone?" He laughed as though it was light-hearted situation, as though it hadn't been over a year since they'd seen him last, as though they all weren't troubled by his appearance and how calmly he seemed to shrug it all off.

He flinched as warm, familiar hands wrapped around him. His gem naturally glowed from her touch, without thinking, he returned the gesture as she so naturally made him melt to her touch. "We're fine, it's you we've been worried about."

Amethyst was watching closely as Connie had knelt down into the sand and embraced him. She was smiling to sweetly with her head resting on his shoulder. Pearl was smiling too, though likely because seeing this would've brought back memories of her time with Rose. Garnet was still shaky but Ruby and Sapphire seemed to have calmed some. But... Amethyst watched him like a hawk, her instincts, her _Earth_ instincts told her something was amiss. The way one of his arms fell back onto the sand behind his back, though to anyone else it'd seem to keep his balance, but as they spoke about time passed, his hand was scratching away at _something_.

_He didn't want to be so shady about all this but the gems didn't give him a chance to find her. He took a deep breath and time seemed to slow as he exhaled. Everything was nearly at a stop, with care he unwrapped Connie's arms and positioned her body to sit across from him as he turned to dig behind them. He kept going until his fingers hit her gem, she was so low down and her gem cracked... water from the ocean over time kept seeping inside._

_He carefully picked her up and held her close, how potentially easy it would be to kiss her gem and heal her now, but with so many people around that he cared for, bearing witness to this, it would only result in disaster. "I'm sorry Spinel... I'll heal you soon." He whispered to her before putting her into a bubble and sending her away. The moment he did so,_ time returned to normal.

* * *

It was approaching ten at night before he finally had a moment to rest on his bed. He let his body fall onto the cushion mattress and feel the comforting covers hug his body. His eyes closed and he took a sigh a relief, his hands grazing along the soft sheets.

"You really don't mind me staying over?"

_Oh that's right._ Steven's eyes snapped open, his body sitting upright so quick he felt dizzy, but he didn't let her know that. Connie just smiled and placed a bag on the floor by the door before looking behind him. "Who is that? She need that diamond potion stuff?"

He looked behind himself, almost confused about what she was referring to until he saw that oh-so familiar looking heart-shaped gem. _Spinel_. "Oh! Um, yeah! Found her a lil while ago." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah..." Steven felt his heart drop, _did she not believe his lie? Did she know about their kiss somehow?_ But... he looked at her, really looked at her and noticed he was getting a look from Connie, that wasn't a look he normally got from her, it was different, it was a shy look as though the devil and angel were sat on her shoulders.

"You okay?" He said as casually as he could.

It snapped her out of stupor and she nodded before walking to him. He was sat on the edge of the bed but far back enough where his legs were dangling, she seemed to gain courage and carefully sat on both his legs. "I missed you." Her voice was quiet and almost shaky, Steven felt incredibly nervous on how close she was to him. He desperately held back an 'eep' when her hands played with his hair.

"Did..." He gulped, "Did you?" His hands grasped at the covers, not touching her hips, his eyes he forced to look away from her own piercing onyx eyes. "Um, we really should rest... I'm tired, you're probably tired-"

She didn't let him finish as her soft sweet lips kissed his. But it was brief as she pulled back, her hands resting on her cheeks, "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry..." She was blushing, "I don't know what came over me... I just thought..."

He now shuffled slight forward, he felt embarrassed and unprepared for it but it wasn't bad... "Connie it's okay... I just didn't think you felt that way about me." It was true, they were childhood friends, he didn't imagine that she would develop those feelings.

"Do you... feel the same?" She looked at him earnestly, _if was a scene in a cartoon he was sure her hair would likely be swooped to the side with a breeze,_ "Don't respond now if... if you need time but..."

"Well actually..." His heart was beating like a drum, he was going to say something someday, about his love for her, he wanted to do a gesture like his father had done for Rose but he felt courage that he wasn't sure he'd have later.

But Connie's hopeful look seemed tainted as she wrapped her arms around one another, "Because I... I have to be honest with you now." She started and Steven immediately felt unease, but he nodded as she waited his approval to continue, "I met some new friends at college... I've met girls and boys. Don't get the wrong idea! I haven't done anything with this boy but I find myself more comfortable around him."

"Do you like him more?"

His voice was sharp and cut through the air like a knife, she shuddered and looked at him. His eyes now focused on her, "No! I know we are meant to be together, Garnet always spoke of our future with such love that no one else can take your place." She placed a reassuring hand on his chest, as though it'd ease his doubt.

He took her hand, "I don't care about what Garnet or Pearl want... No..." He sat up and let her shuffle onto the bed, she didn't know what to think or how to speak to him now.

She looked at the back of his head, it rested in his hands as he muttered to himself. She reached out and wanted to pat him on the back, make him feel better, "Steven?" She said but it came out a hollow whisper, still she reached and was about to say something, but he pulled his head from his hands and stared up at the roof.

"You've been awfully cute, and heh... I'd _really_ like to play with you, forever, but..." He turned to her, he had an almost out-of-character smile on him, "your life is short and I don't want you to give up on everything you want." _This is the moment. The moment where his mother had once given his father the chance to change his mind, a test of his love for her._

She took his hands into hers and rubbed his knuckles. She didn't look up at him yet as she was deep in thought. She knew her love for him was there... _she knew it was._ She looked at him, _really_ looked at him and felt her cheeks burn. "I..." But he didn't look at her now, his glazed eyes drifted to something else. She turned bewildered but deep down she knew what he was looking at, that oh-so familiar gem that once had taken him away.

**Author's Note:**

> So here we go! An attempted sequel to Drifting Alone.  
> -Please do let me know of yours thoughts or head cannons! <3  
> \--I find each comment interesting and most always inspiring! ^.^/


End file.
